The present invention relates in general to wireless and wireline communication systems, and more particularly, to an apparatus, method and system for detection and recovery of missing wireless devices in communication systems, such as lost or stolen wireless telephones and personal digital-assistants.
With the advent of wireless communication, mobile or wireless devices such as cellular telephones, PCS telephones, wireless personal digital assistants (xe2x80x9cPDAsxe2x80x9d), portable computers, and other mobile or wireless communication devices, are capable of performing an increasingly wider array of services and are increasingly valuable. In addition to the cost of the mobile or wireless device, such wireless devices are typically utilized to store significant, valuable and/or confidential information, such as trade secret information. For example, various mobile telephones and PDAs store business data such as directories of names, addresses and telephone numbers, including customer or client names and contacts, while other various wireless devices, such as PDAs or portable computers, may also store significant technical data and business plans. In the event one of these devices is lost or stolen, in addition to the cost of the product, significant losses may occur due to the loss of such information or the loss of control over such stored information.
Currently, there are no mechanisms available to detect and recover such lost or stolen mobile devices. For example, when a mobile telephone is lost or stolen, a service provider may discontinue service to the device, but is currently unable to detect the current location of the device and potentially recover the device.
As a consequence, a need remains for an apparatus, method and system to detect and potentially recover lost, stolen or otherwise missing mobile or wireless communication devices. Such an apparatus, method and system should be cost-effective and capable of implementation within current communication systems, and should provide an effective deterrent to the illicit use of such lost, stolen or missing devices. In addition, such an apparatus, method and system should have the capability to recover data stored in mobile or wireless communication devices, and disable user access to such stored data.
Apparatus, method and system embodiments are illustrated which provide for detection and recovery of missing wireless devices in communication systems. The preferred system embodiment includes a mobile switching center, an adjunct network entity, a base station, and a mobile unit, such as a cellular telephone or a wireless personal digital assistant.
When a mobile unit has been reported to be missing, such as lost or stolen, the adjunct network entity, such as an intelligent network server, which has a detection and recovery application, determines or assigns a recovery identification and a recovery channel for the missing mobile unit. The mobile switching center then transmits a distinctive recovery page to the mobile unit via the base station, in which the recovery page includes information specifying the recovery identification and the recovery channel. In the preferred embodiment, the mobile unit includes a recovery sleep mode for reception of the recovery page when the mobile unit is powered off.
The mobile unit, upon reception of a recovery page, enters a recovery mode and transmits a recovery signal on the recovery channel, with the recovery signal including the recovery identification. In the preferred embodiment, the recovery signal also includes global positioning system information. In addition, the recovery signal may be utilized to track, locate and recover the missing mobile unit, preferably utilizing an enforcement authority, such as a local police department. In the preferred embodiment, the mobile unit in the recovery mode also disables access to or deletes any stored data within the mobile unit, to preserve confidentiality and unauthorized use of such data.
Numerous other advantages and features of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and the embodiments thereof, from the claims and from the accompanying drawings.